Handkerchife holder



y 1, .1951 A. B. VALENTI 2,551,184

HANDKERCHIEF HOLDER Filed May 18, 1950 IN V EN TOR. ANDREW B. VALENTI AGENT Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE HANDKER/CHIEF HOLDER Andrew B. Valenti, Flushing, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1950, Serial No. 162,618

7 Claims.

My invention relates to handkerchief holders, and pertains more particularly to a holder whereby a preferred and prefolded arrangement of a full-sized handkerchief may be sustained during the normal, and even extended, wear thereof in the pocket of a coat or other garment.

It has been my observation that the appearance of a person who may be otherwise faultlessly attired is considerably affected by an unneat arrangement of a handkerchief in a breast pocket, or by a handkerchief soiled from excessive handling in an effort to maintain it suitably arranged in said pocket.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means whereby a full-sized and desirously prefolded handkerchief may be worn in a pocket/with portions thereof extended for dress purposes and with assurance that such extended portions will not wilt and thereby affect an overall appearance of apparel neatness.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent soiling of a handkerchief worn as an accessory in a breas pocket by precluding the need for constantly rearranging those portions which extend from the pocket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a handkerchief holding device which, in addition to sustaining a handkerchief satisfactorily arranged for dress purposes in the breast pocket of a garment, is configured to conform with the natural contours of a wearer's chest to thereby avoid offensive bulging of such garment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide with a handkerchief holding device,

handkerchief securing means effective for maintaining a preferred prefolded handkerchief arrangement throughout the operations of inser ing or removing the unit from a pocket.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a handkerchief holding device of such versatility as to sustain efiectively varied prefolded handkerchief arrangements.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the first embodi ment and illustrates the manner in which it sustains the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief;

Fig. i is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of one of the point sustaining elements utilized in the second embodiment; and

Fig. 6 is an isometric View of the second embodiment and illustrates the manner inwhich the sustaining elements assist in sustaining the erec tion of handkerchief points, which are shown in dot and dash lines.

Now with reference to the drawing in more detail, and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that a first embodiment 10 of the handker chief holder includes a plate member H, which is of a permanent arcuate configuration throughout its height and is formed of Celluloid or any like material. Said plate member is intended to be of such dimensions as to be insertable and concealable in the breast pocket of a coat or like garment.

Suitably secured to one side edge of the plate member and adjacent the top thereof is a first strap l2 which is adapted to extend over. the cambered or front surface of said plate member and be fastened tothe other side edge thereof by a first snap fastener I3 or the like.

Also suitably securedto one of the plate member side edges, but adjacent the bottom thereof, is a second strap lwhich is arranged to extend over the other or back surface of said plate member and be fastened to the opposite side edge thereof by a second snap fastener l5.

Before utilizing the holder ID, a handkerchief I6 is prefolded in an arrangement such as that seen in Fig. 3 in which four of the points I1 thereof are arranged to extend from the wearers pocket. It will be understood, of course, that any number of said points I! may be extended, de-. pending upon the wearers particular tastes. Thereafter the prefolded handkerchief l 6 is posi tioned against the said plate member I I with the points I? extending above and beyond the upper edge thereof. The first strap I2 is then fastened; across the upper portion of the handkerchief arrangement, thus causing it to conform to the cambered or front surface of the plate member II. The lower portion of the handkerchief is then folded up under the lower edge of saidplatemember and the said second strap [4 is fastened there across.

It will be seen that when the handkerchief ar-' rangement is made to conform to the cambered surface of the plate member II in the manner described, said arrangement is bent slightly throughout its height, which bending has a stiffening effect on the points I! and prevents wilting thereof by sustaining them erect. It will be seen also that the fastening means whereby the handkerchief is securely held to both the front and back surfaces of the plate member prevent disarrangement of the prefolded handkerchief when the unit is being inserted in or removed from a wearers pocket. When in a wearers pocket the arcuate configuration of the said plate member tends to conform to and blend with the wearer's .natural chest contours, thereby being unlikely to cause bulging of the garment.

A second embodiment iila, as seen in Figs. 4-6, contemplates provision of means for assisting the arcuate configuration of a plate member Na in sustaining erect the points I'Ia of a handkerchief Ifia. Like the first described embodiment and for the same purposes, the present form is provided with a first strap IZa having a first snap fastener I3a and a second strap I 4a having a second snap fastener I511. In addition to the just described provisions the second embodiment includes in its upper portion an upper row of slits 20 and a lower row of slits 2i. As seen best in Fig. 4, each slit 20 is aligned vertically with a related one of the slits 2| and such a pair is adapted to receive slidingly a sustaining element 22, of the type seen in Fig. 5, and which is provided at its upper end with a hook 23 and at its lower end with an enlarged portion 24. It will be seen that the elements 22 and, there'- fore, the hooks 23 therein, are individually positionable relative to the upper edge of the plate member Ma, and that the upward movements of the elements 22 are limited by engagement of the enlarged portions 24 with the ends of the lower slits 2I.

Subsequent to fastening and conforming a prefolded handkerchief IEa to the plate member Ila by means of the straps I2a and Ma, each element 22 is raised with the hook 23 thereof hooked into one of the handkerchief points I'Ia adjacent the point thereof. It will be seen that the frictional resistance to the sliding of the elements 22 in the slits 20 and 2| will prevent said elements 22 from sliding back downwardly and that said elements will assist in sustaining erect the said handkerchief points I'Ia.

This embodiment, in view of the fact that the elements 22 are adaptable for use with any handkerchief arrangement in which four or less handkerchief points are desired to be displayed from a garment pocket.

While there have been described and illustrated specific embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the field of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member permanently arcuately configured throughout its height and adapted to bend a handkerchief arrangement throughout the height thereof when the same is held thereagainst and made to conform thereto, a fastening strap across one side of said plate member at the upper portion thereof for holding the upper portion of said handkerchief, and another fastening strap across the other side of the plate member at the lower portion thereof for'holding the lower portion of said handkerindividually positionable, is

chief when the same is folded up under the lower edge of said plate member.

2. A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member of a size suitable for removable concealment in a garment pocket and being permanently arcuately configured throughout its height, said plate member being effective when said handkerchief arrangement is held against and made to conform to the cambered surface thereof for bending said arrangement and thereby sustaining erect certain portions of said handkerchief arranged to extend above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a strap across the cambered surface at the upper portion of the plate member for holding the upper portion of the handkerchief thereto, and a strap across the other side of the plate member at the lower portion of said handkerchief when the same is folded under the lower edge of said plate member.

3. A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member of a size suitable for removable and concealed placement in a garment pocket and being permanently arcuately configured throughout its height, said plate member being effective when said handkerchief arrangement is held against and made to conform to the cambered surface thereof for bending said arrangement and thereby sustaining erect the points of said handkerchief arranged to extend above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a strap secured to one side edge of said plate member and fastenable to the other side edge across the upper portion of the cambered surface for holdin the upper portion of the handkerchief thereto, and another strap secured to one side edge of the plate member and fastenable to the other side edge across the lower portion of the other surface for holding the lower portion of said handkerchief when the same is folded under the lower edge of said plate member,

A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member permanently configured as to bend the handkerchief arrangement throughout its height when the same is held thereagainst and made to conform thereto for thereby sustaining erect certain portions of said handkerchief arranged above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a plurality of elements carried by said plate member and positionable relative to the upper edge thereof, each of said elements being engageable with and adapted to assist in sustainingerect one of said certain handkerchief portions, and securing means whereby the handkerchief is held to said plate member and the conformity thereof to the plate member is assured.

5. A device of the class described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded hand kerchief, comprising a plate member permanently arcuately configured throughout its height and adapted to bend the handkerchief arrangement throughout its height when the same is held thereagainst and made to conform thereto for thereby sustaining erect certain portions of said handkerchief arranged above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a plurality of elements carried by said plate member and individually positionable relative to the upper edge thereof, each of said elements being adapted to hook and thereby assist in sustaining erect one of said certain handkerchief portions, a fastening strap across one side of said plate member at the upper portion thereof for holding the upper portion of said handkerchief, and another fastening strap across the other side of the plate member at the lower portion thereof for holding the lower portion of said handkerchief when the same is folded up under the lower edge of said plate member.

6. A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member of a size suitable for removable concealment in a garment pocket and being permanently arcuately configured throughout its height, said plate member being effective when said handkerchief arrangement is held against and made to conform to the cambered surface thereof for bending said arrangement and thereby sustaining erect certain portions of said handkerchief arranged to extend above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a plurality of elements carried slidingly in slits in said base plate member and individually positionable relative to the upper edge thereof, each of said elements being adapted to hook and thereby assist in sustaining erect one of said certain handkerchief portions, a strap across the cambered surface at the upper portion of the plate member for holding the upper portion of the handkerchief thereto, and a strap across the other side of the plate member at the lower portion thereof for holding the lower portion of said handkerchief when the same is folded under the lower edge of said plate member.

'7. A device of the type described adapted for sustaining the arrangement of a prefolded handkerchief, comprising a plate member of a size suitable for removable and concealed placement in a garment pocket and being permanently arcuately configured throughout its height, said plate member being effective when said handkerchief arrangement is held against and made to conform to the cambered surface thereof for bending said arrangement and thereby sustaining erect the points of said handkerchief arranged to extend above and beyond the upper edge of said plate member, a plurality of elements carried slidingly in slits in said plate member and individually positionable relative to the upper edge thereof, enlarged portions formed off the lower ends of said elements and whereby the upward movements thereof are limited, hooking means formed at the upper ends of said elements and whereby the same may hook into and assist in sustaining erect the said handkerchief points, a strap secured to one side edge of said plate member and fastenable to the other side edge across the upper portion of the cambered surface for holding the upper portion of the handkerchief thereto, and another strap secured to one side edge of the plate member and fastenable to the other side edge across the lower portion of the other surface for holding the lower portion of said handkerchief when the same is folded under the lower edge of said plate member.

ANDREW B. VALENTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,515,447 Thomas Nov. 11, 1924 2,022,793 Trickel Dec. 3, 1935 

